Wife Recounts Final Text to Late Liverpool Star Diogo Jota

Diogo Jota's widow, Rute Cardoso, has revealed her final message to her husband, urging him to "keep your eyes on the road," in a new biography detailing the tragic circumstances of his death. The book, titled "Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts," recounts the night the Liverpool star died in a Lamborghini crash in northern Spain.

Cardoso explained that she exchanged messages with Jota shortly after he departed for Santander with his brother, Andre Silva. Jota had rented a Lamborghini to drive to the city, intending to drop it off before taking a ferry back to the UK for pre-season training. This was a notable decision, as Cardoso described Jota as someone not typically inclined towards extravagant purchases like fancy cars.

"A few minutes after they'd left, I sent Diogo a message saying, 'Safe journey.' He replied with an emoji, and I told him to keep his eyes on the road," Cardoso recounted in an extract shared by the Liverpool Echo. Jota, a father of three, was advised by doctors not to fly following surgery, prompting his decision to travel by road back to Liverpool. He and his younger brother, Andre Silva, died when the Lamborghini Huracan veered off a motorway near Spain's border with Portugal.

Just 11 days prior to the fatal collision, Jota had married his childhood sweetheart, Cardoso, in Porto, Portugal. Her concern grew as several WhatsApp messages to Jota went unanswered, including one where she intended to share wedding day footage. Subsequent attempts to contact his brother Andre also failed, and the brothers had not arrived at their intended hotel.

After contacting the hotel and then a hospital and local police without success, Cardoso reached out to her uncle, Vitor, who had connections with the Spanish transport police. Her uncle informed her that bodies were being taken to the mortuary, a moment that led to her mind going blank, as recounted in the book. She then focused on informing Jota's father and Andre's girlfriend.

Cardoso, supported by psychologists arranged for the family, eventually received official confirmation of Jota's death from a Spanish police officer. On her way to the mortuary to collect the brothers' belongings, she requested to visit the crash site. "I told the driver I wanted us to take the same route that they had taken," she said. "I imagined that, so many hours on, there would be no traces left, but I wanted to know where it had happened. But when we reached that cursed Kilometre 64, what was left of the car was still there."

An investigation by a Spanish court concluded that the crash was caused by a blown-out tire on the Lamborghini while overtaking, leading to the vehicle bursting into flames after hitting a barrier. The High Court of Justice in Zamora found no criminal action necessary regarding the deaths.

Jota played 123 times for Liverpool, scoring 47 goals and playing a key role in their 2024-25 Premier League title victory. The book features contributions from former Liverpool managers Arne Slot and Jurgen Klopp, as well as former teammates. Author Jose Manuel Delgado stated that the biography aims to preserve Jota's memory with care and honesty, highlighting the generosity of those closest to him. The book's proceeds will support the LFC Foundation.

Fans paid tribute to Jota throughout the last season by singing his name in the 20th minute of every match, and the club retired his No. 20 shirt. A permanent memorial for Jota and his brother was installed at Anfield in July.